Concrete pile joint



Jan. 4, 1955 w. H. LLOYD CONCRETE FILE JOINT Filed Aug. 4, 1952 VINVENTOR. M'ZZz'amHLZoyd w ggg ATTORNEYS United States Patent CONCRETEPILE JOINT William H. Lloyd, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor t0 PacificUnion Metal Company, Los Angeles, Calif., 21 corporation of DelawareApplication August 4, 1952, Serial No. 302,487

4 Claims. (Cl. 61-56) The invention relates to concrete piles and moreparticularly to a cast concrete pile and to a joint construction betweenadjacent sections of a cast concrete pile.

Cast reinforced concrete piles are used in large numbers in theconstruction of bridges, buildings and other structures requiring a firmfoundation since this type of piling can be driven directly with ahammer and without the use of special equipment such as a drivingmandrel required for the driving of metal shells for formingcastin-place concrete piles.

In driving a pile at any particular location, the ultimate length ofpile required may not be known before the first few test piles aredriven. For this reason, cast reinforced concrete piles are frequentlymade in sections which must be spliced or otherwise secured together atthe abutting ends of the sections to form the completed pile eitherprior to driving the pile or as each section is driven.

Moreover, cast reinforced concrete piles, particularly in the largerdiameters, are extremely heavy and if of great length and made in onepiece and then transported to the pile driving site, Very heavyequipment must be used for transporting and handling the same. Also, itis difficult to avoid damage to long, heavy cast concrete piles intransporting the same. For these reasons, cast reinforced concrete pilesnormally are cast in sections and the sections spliced or otherwisesecured together at the driving site either prior to driving or in caseof necessity when the driven pile is not long enough, as each section isdriven.

In driving a pile, blows of the driving hammer must necessarily beapplied to the pile at the upper end thereof and frequently the endportion of a cast concrete pile may chip or spall because of the impactof the hammer blows so as to damage the joint between spliced sectionsand to interfere with the proper transmission of driving blows from oneend of the pile to the other. This difficulty is more of a problem wherea joint is made after a lower section has been driven, but the samedifficulties can occur even though a splice or joint is made prior todriving because of the necessity of transmitting the driving blowsthrough the joint.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to providea new type of joint for securing together sections of cast reinforcedconcrete piles which are to be driven directly without the use of amandrel.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a newtype of joint for a cast reinforced concrete pile in which the drivingforce is transmitted from end to end of the pile through the joint andthe reinforcing means without chipping or cracking, or otherwisespalling the concrete material at the adjacent or abutting ends of thepile sections which are joined together.

Also, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new type ofjoint for east reinforced concrete piles which enables pile sections tobe joined together after one section has been driven in spite of anychipping, cracking or spalling that may have occurred at the top end ofthe driven section prior to joining the next section thereto.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a newjoint construction for the sections of cast reinforced concrete pileswhich is simple to form, inexpensive to fabricate and which is verystrong and efficient in use.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to satisfy the needand solve long existing problems in the art of cast reinforced concretepile construction, to eliminate prior art difficulties in this field,generally to improve and simplify the driving of concrete piles, and toobtain the foregoing advantages and desiderata in a simple, inexpensiveand effective manner.

These and other objects and advantages apparent to those skilled in theart from the following description and claims may be obtained, thestated results achieved, and the described difficulties overcome, by theimprovements, elements, combinations, sub-combinations, arrangements andconstructions which comprise the present invention, the nature of whichis set forth in the following general statement, a preferred embodimentof whichillustrative of the best mode in which applicant hascontemplated applying the principles-is set forth in the followingdescription and shown in the drawing, and which are particularly anddistinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming parthereof.

The nature of the discoveries and improvements in concrete pile jointconstruction of the present invention may be stated in general terms aspreferably including in a joint between abutting ends of cast reinforcedconcrete pile sections, a first annular band-like metal ring secured toand surrounding the longitudinal pile reinforcing members or rods at anend portion of a first pile section, the outer surface of said ringconforming to the outer surface of the said end portion of said firstpile section, said first ring being spaced from the end of said firstpile section, a second annular band-like metal ring secured to andsurrounding the longitudinal pile reinforcing members or rods at an endportion of a second pile section abutting said first pile section, theouter surface of said second ring conforming to the outer surface of thesaid end portion of said second pile section, said second ring beingspaced from the end of said second pile section, a tubular metal shelltelescoped over the abutting ends of the adjacent first and second pilesections, one end portion of said shell overlapping and being annularlysecured or welded to the first ring, and the other end portion of saidshell overlapping and being annularly secured or welded to the secondring.

By way of example, the improved concrete pile joint construction of thepresent invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming parthereof, wherein:

Figure l is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevation of a pile composed oftwo sections joined together by the improved joint construction;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section through theimproved joint of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33, Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of the variouselements of the improved joint.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the various figuresof the drawing.

A typical sectional cast reinforced concrete pile is generally indicatedat 1 in Fig. 1, including a lower section 2 and an upper section 3. Thelower section 2 may be cyclindrical or tapered, depending upon drivingconditions or the design of the foundation or soil conditions or otherconsiderations. The upper section 3 normally is cylindrical.

Although the pile 1 is illustrated as being composed of two sections, itis understood that depending upon the required pile length and diameter,the pile may have two, three or more sections. Furthermore, for thepurpose of description, it may be said that the lower section 2 may beof somewhat standard size or length, such as twenty feet in length, andthe upper section 3 may have the same or different length, dependingupon the size requirements of the pile. However, any of the sections 2or 3, or other sections which may be joined to such sections, may haveany desired length consistent with ease of handling, transporting anddriving.

The pile sections 2 and 3 are each formed of reinforced concrete and maybe fabricated in any usual way as by pouring concrete into forms ormolds, or by spinning the section in a rotary mold to provide a hollowtubular construction, as illustrated. The tubular walls 5 are providedwith longitudinal metal preferably steel reinforcing rods 6 which may ormay not be spaced or positioned during spinning or molding by asurrounding helical wire cage 7 as is usual in the manufacture of hollowreinforced concrete piles. Furthermore, the resulting pile sections 2 or3, arter fabrication, may include what is Known in the art asprestressed reinforcing rods.

in accordance with the present invention, auxiliary reinforcing rods 8are provided, four being illustrated, and the ends of the rods 6 arebent outward as indicated at 9 and welded to an annular band-like metalpreferably steel ring 10. The metal ring 10 is formed with an outerdiameter or surface conforming to the shape of the outer surface of thepile section of which it forms a part and, as shown, the ring 10 isspaced from the end 11 of its pile section. The end of each pile sectionthat is to be joined to an abutting pile section of the completed pile 1is provided with the auxiliary reinforcing rod and band constructiondescribed.

When the joint between adjacent pile sections is to be completed, asleeve 12 is telescoped over the abutting ends of adjacent pilesections, and the sections are held securely in such position while theannular ends 13 of the sleeve 12 are welded respectively to the bands 10adjacent the ends of the pile sections.

Although the sleeve 12 may be a continuous cylindrical sleeve telescopedover the ends of the abutted pile sections, for convenience in formingthe joint, the sleeve 12 may be formed of half shells 12a and 12b, asillustrated in Fig. 4, which are also Welded together along theirlongitudinal edges 14 in completing the joint.

Thus, when the pile joint is completed in the manner described, thesleeve member 12 is subjected to the impact stress of the driving blowswhile the pile is being driven, so as to relieve from impact theconcrete end portions 11 which are abutted.

Furthermore, the force of the driving blows applied by the hammer to theupper end of the pile 1 is transmitted from section to section throughthe auxiliary reinforcing rods 8, the rings 10 and the sleeve 12 so thatany spalling which may have occurred or may occur in the concrete at theends of the pile sections Will not affect proper driving conditions.

After the pile is driven, the longitudinal opening within the tubularWalls of sectional pile is filled with concrete so as to ultimately forma cast-in-place concrete pile.

Although the shell 12 has been described as being annularly welded ateach end to the metal rings 10 because it is believed that such a jointbetween the sleeve and rings is strongest and most efiicient, it isunderstood that the present invention contemplates any means of rigidlysecuring the sleeve to the metal rings 10, each of which is a permanent,integrally assembled portion of a section of a cast reinforced concretepile.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a new, strong and elficientjoint for permanently securing together sections of cast reinforcedconcrete piles which may be driven directly into the ground without theuse of a mandrel; provides a cast concrete pile joint which enables thepile sections to be joined at the driving site usually prior to driving,but in case of necessity after a lower section has already been driven;provides a cast concrete pile joint construction in which the drivingforce is carried from end to end of a sectional pile through thereinforcing means in each pile section and the metal sleeve secured tothe reinforcing means at the joint between the abutted section; andprovides a construction satisfying a longstanding need in the art whicheliminates prior art difiiculties and improves and simplifies thedriving of sectional cast concrete piles in an inexpensive, effectiveand efficient manner obtaining the advantages and desiderata described.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity,clearness and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because suchterms are used Ior descriptive purposes herein and not I01 the purposedor' lurutauon and are intended to be broadly construe lvioreover, thedescription of the improvements is by way of example and the scope ofthe present invention is not limited to the exact details illustratednor to the specific elements shown.

Having now described the features, discoveries and principles or theinvention, the construction and use of a preferred embodiment thereof,and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained thereby; the newand useful elements, combinations, sub-combinations, arrangements andconstructions, and mechanical equivalents obvious to those skilled inthe art, are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. ln a joint between abutting ends of a sectional cast concrete pilehaving longitudinal metal reinforcing rods therein, a first annularband-like metal ring secured to and surrounding certain longitudinalpile reinforcing rods at an end portion of a first pile section, theouter surface of said ring conforming to the contour of the outersurface of said end portion of said first pile section, said first ringbeing spaced from the end of said first pile section, a second annularband-like metal ring secured to and surrounding certain longitudinalpile reinforcing rods at an end portion of a second pile sectionabutting said first pile section, the outer surface of said second ringconforming to the contour of the outer surface of said end portion ofsaid second pile section, said second ring being spaced from the end ofsaid second pile section, a tubular metal sleeve encompassing theabutting ends of the first and second pile sections, one end portion ofsaid sleeve overlapping and being annularly welded to the first ring,and the other end portion of said sleeve overlapping and being annularlywelded to the second ring.

2. in sectional cast reinforced concrete pile construction, a pluralityof end-abutted cast concrete pile sections each having longitudinalreinforcing rods therein, a joint between end-abutted pile sectionsincluding a metal ring spaced from each section end to be joined toanother section end, each said ring being integrally secured to thelongitudinal reinforcing rods in each section, a metal sleeve telescopedover the abutted pile section ends and overlapping a portion of eachring nearest the joint between abutted ends, and means securing the endsof said sleeve to the outer annular surfaces of the rings.

3. The construction defined in claim 2, in which each pile sectionincludes cast tubular concrete walls having metal reinforcing rodsextending longitudinally of the tubular walls, and in which certain ofsaid rods are bent outwardly at a location spaced from an abutted jointforming pile section end, and in which said outwardly bent rods arewelded to the metal ring.

4. The construction defined in claim 2, in which the sleeve compriseshalf sections provided with longitudinal edges welded together, and inwhich the ends of said sleeve are welded annularly to the ringsintegrally secured to the end-abutted pile sections over which thesleeve is telescoped.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,079,375 Stange Nov. 25, 1913 FOREIGN PATENTS 93,939 Sweden of 1938

